Battalion gain experience with three additions from Sarnia
The North Bay Battalion added three veterans to their lineup on Saturday, gaining experience with the acquisition of Florida Panthers prospect Sandis Vilmanis in addition to twins Andrew and Jacob LeBlanc in a trade with the Sarnia Sting.
The Battalion, who enter Sunday’s action placed fourth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 18-13-5-1, sent 2023 first round OHL Priority Selection choice Carter Kostuch to the Sting along with 18-year-old Slovak defenceman Alex Cajkovic. Sarnia also received a total of six draft picks (Peterborough’s third in 2024, Saginaw’s fourth in 2024, North Bay’s fourth in 2025, Windsor’s fifth in 2025, Barrie’s fifth in 2026 and North Bay’s second in 2027) as part of the package.
“This move gives us a lot of confidence heading into the second half, and we’re looking forward to welcoming Sandis, Andrew and Jacob to our team and our community,” said Battalion general manager Adam Dennis.
Vilmanis, 19, returns from representing Latvia at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship where he recorded four points (2-2–4) in five games. The 6-foot-2, 192Ib. left-wing has 28 points (10-18–28) over 30 games with Sarnia this season. He put up 45 points (20-25–45) in 62 games as a rookie with Sarnia in 2022-23. Vilmanis was a fifth-round choice of the Florida Panthers in 2022.
Nineteen-year-old Port Colborne, Ont.-based twin brothers Andrew and Jacob LeBlanc are both in their third OHL season, each benefitting from their time in Sarnia as 19-year-olds. Andrew, a forward, registered 26 points (9-17–26) in 35 games with the Sting. The former first round (17th overall) pick by the Kitchener Rangers in 2020 has collected 28 goals, 56 assists and 84 points in 149 regular season games spent between the Rangers, Niagara and Sarnia to this point in his OHL tenure. Jacob, a defenceman, has produced nearly a point-per-game in Sarnia, with 34 points (7-27–34) over 37 contests, leaving the Sting as their leading scorer. A former third round (42nd overall) pick by Kitchener in 2020, Jacob has 81 points (15-66–81) in 171 career OHL contests between Kitchener, Niagara and Sarnia.
With the move, the 15-21-1-0 Sting continue on their trajectory of a youth movement of sorts, adding Kostuch and Cajkovic to their ranks.
“Today we’ve made a significant step towards building to our already strong young core,” said Sting general manager Dylan Seca. “The players and draft picks acquired will help the hockey club climb back to a contending team in the very near future. We still also believe in our groups ability to be a playoff bound team.”
A 16-year-old forward from Richmond Hill, Ont., Kostuch joins the Sting after posting six points (2-4–6) through his first 34 OHL games. The 21st overall pick of last spring’s OHL Priority Selection was an OHL Cup Finalist with the Vaughan Kings last season.
“Carter Kostuch is a player we really liked in his draft year, he’s a first round pick for a reason,” said Seca. “He’s skilled, quick and very competitive. His work ethic and character match our core values.”
A left-shot, 5-foot-10, 179Ib. defenceman, Cajkovic was North Bay’s second round (72nd overall) pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft. He adjusted well to the OHL, generating 12 assists through his first 32 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-9.
“Alex is a very reliable puck moving defender who has been an important player in North Bay,” noted Seca, “We like his age, his good decision making and his international experience.”
The Sting (at Guelph) and Battalion (vs. Kitchener) return to action on Sunday, each sporting a new look as they hit the ice for Sunday afternoon matchups.
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